Searching and browsing URLs and URL history

ABSTRACT

System(s) and/or method(s) (“tools”) are described that present indicia for implicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages of a network browser application. The tools can present these indicia in a single graphic user interface, in response to a user&#39;s selection of a single unified access point, or in response to a search of the browser&#39;s user-associated web pages.

BACKGROUND

Network browser interfaces currently permit users to view locators forweb pages. Some interfaces display universal resource locators (URLs)for a user's favorite web pages in a graphical user interface, forinstance. And some interfaces display URLs for web pages that a user hasvisited. These interfaces may also show URLs for web pages found insearching a user's favorites or history. But these interfaces can makepoor use of a user's display area, confuse users, or be difficult forusers to navigate. Some interfaces, for example, present web-pagehistories in cascading drop-down menus, which can be hard for some usersto navigate, especially those that cannot use a mouse well.

SUMMARY

System(s) and/or method(s) (“tools”) are described that present indiciafor implicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages of a networkbrowser application. The tools can present these indicia in a singlegraphic user interface, in response to a user's selection of a singleunified access point, or in response to a search of the browser'suser-associated web pages.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essentialfeatures of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used asan aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary operating environment in which variousembodiments can operate.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary process for presenting indicia of user-associatedweb pages.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary graphic user interface for a networkbrowser having a single unified access point.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary navigable window enabling access toindicia for a user's favorite web pages, feed web pages, and history webpages.

FIG. 5 illustrates the exemplary navigable window of FIG. 4 along withindicia for favorite web pages.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary process for searching user-associated web pages.

FIG. 7 illustrates the exemplary navigable window of FIG. 4 with asearch term and search results.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary process for marking and/or opening multiple webpages.

FIG. 9 illustrates the exemplary navigable window of FIG. 7 with openedweb pages marked with tab indicators.

The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and figures toreference like components and features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

The following document describes tools that present indicia forimplicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages of a network browserapplication. In one embodiment, the tools present these indicia in asingle graphic user interface that floats or docks with the browser'suser interface. In other embodiments, the indicia are presented inresponse to a user's selection of a single unified access point, openingthe browser, or a search of the browser's user-associated web pages.

Exemplary Operating Environment

Before describing the tools in detail, the following discussion of anexemplary operating environment is provided to assist the reader inunderstanding where and how the tools may be employed. The descriptionprovided below constitutes but one example and is not intended to limitapplication of the tools to any one particular operating environment.

FIG. 1 illustrates one such operating environment generally at 100comprising a computer 102, a communication network 104, and a networkcomputer 106. The computer is shown comprising one or more processor(s)108 and computer-readable media 110. The processor(s) are capable ofexecuting instructions on the computer-readable media. Thecomputer-readable media comprise instructions that implement a networkbrowser 112 having a user interface module 114, a search module 116,user-associated web-page indicia 118, and a marking/opening module 120.These modules are shown integral with the network browser, though theymay also be separate from the browser. If separate, each module iscapable of communicating with the network browser, such as through oneor more application programming interfaces (APIs). Indicia 118 hasindicia for web pages that a user has explicitly or implicitlyassociated with himself or herself, such as favorite web pages indicia122, history web pages indicia 124, and feed web pages indicia 126. Thefeed web pages are related to a user-associated feed or flag, such as aRich Site Summary (RSS) feed. The user interface module is capable ofpresenting the indicia. The search module is capable of searching theindicia and related information, such as metadata for and content of theweb page associated with each indicia. The marking/opening moduleenables a user to mark a group of web pages as one favorite and/or toopen multiple web pages with a single user action.

The communication network enables communication between the computer andthe network computer and may comprise one or more of an intranet, suchas a company's internal network, the Internet, and the like.

Exemplary User Interfaces

The following discussion describes exemplary user interfaces and arelated process for presenting indicia of user-associated web pages. Theprocess is shown at 200 in FIG. 2 and describes exemplary manners inwhich the tools interface with a user of a network browser. This processis illustrated as a series of blocks representing individual operationsor acts performed by elements of environment 100, such as user-interfacemodule 114. This and other processes described herein are directed tothese elements to aid the reader in understanding particular embodimentsof the tools and are not intended to limit application of the tools tothis environment. These processes can be implemented in any suitablehardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof. In the case ofsoftware and firmware, these processes represent sets of operationsimplemented as computer-executable instructions.

Block 202 presents a single unified access point enabling a user to gainaccess to indicia for explicitly and implicitly user-associated webpages. The access point may comprise an icon, graphic, or selectabletext. The user may select the access point with a single user action.

FIG. 3 sets forth an exemplary graphic user interface 300 for networkbrowser 112 having a single unified access point 302 having a star icon.The selectable icon is oriented on the left side of the interface andwithin a command bar 304 that may have other selectable controls (notshown).

Block 204 receives a user's selection to present a user interfaceenabling access to indicia for explicitly and implicitly user-associatedweb pages. Block 204 can receive this selection through a user clickingon access point 302 shown in FIG. 3 or in other manners.

Block 206 presents a user interface enabling access to indicia forexplicitly and implicitly user-associated web pages. This user interfacecan comprise a single navigable graphic user interface through which theindicia may be viewed and/or selected. It can be a window docked withina network browser's interface or be a floating entity, for instance. Theindicia may be selected by the way in which the web pages are associatedwith a user, such as those explicitly associated with a user by the usermarking the web pages as favorites, explicitly associated with a user bythe user marking the web pages as feeds, and implicitly associated witha user by the user viewing the web pages thereby enabling a history ofviewed web pages.

FIG. 4 sets forth an exemplary navigable window 400 enabling access toindicia for a user's favorite web pages, feed web pages, and history webpages. This interface is docked in network browser 112's user interface402. Access to a user's favorites 122, history 124, and feeds 126 isenabled through selectable controls: 404 for favorites; 406 for history;and 408 for feeds. Each of these controls may be selected with a singleuser action. A search entry field 410 is also shown, and will bedescribed in greater detail as part of process 600.

Block 208 receives selection to view indicia for one or more explicitlyand/or implicitly user-associated web pages. Here block 208 receives auser's selection of favorites control 404 shown in FIG. 4.

Block 210 determines an order or hierarchy in which indicia will bedisplayed. Block 210 can order indicia for explicitly user-associatedweb pages alphabetically, chronologically, or following a user-selectedorder. Block 210 can set an order or hierarchy for indicia of implicitlyuser-associated web pages following various algorithms. One of thesealgorithms orders indicia with a weighted combination of when web pageswere viewed and how often they were viewed, such as ordering indicia forpages visited most often in the last three weeks.

Block 212 presents indicia for explicitly and/or implicitlyuser-associated web pages in a graphic user interface. The graphic userinterface can comprise one or multiple windows or regions. The indiciamay be presented automatically (e.g., when a network browser is opened),responsive to selection by a user of a single unified access point, orresponsive to a selection to view indicia for one or more types ofuser-associated web pages. Thus, block 212 may act independent of orresponsive to blocks 204 and 208.

FIG. 5 sets forth the exemplary navigable window 400 of FIG. 4 alongwith indicia for favorites 500. These indicia are shown in indiciaregion 502. The indicia region can present indicia for different typesof user-associated web pages, such as favorites, history, and feeds oneat a time or in combination. Indicia for previously viewed (history) webpages are presented at history indicia region 504. Here user interfacemodule 114 presents indicia for favorites 500 responsive to a userselecting favorites control 404 in FIG. 4. The user interface modulepresents history indicia 504 without user action. For clarity, thehistory indicia are shown in FIG. 5 but can also be presented in FIG. 4responsive to selection of the star icon shown at 302.

Favorites indicia 500 are presented in a navigable hierarchy, thehierarchy defined by a user (though it may also be defined by userinterface module 114). Here one favorite web page (entitled “MSN.com”)is indicated with two indicia, a graphic at 506 and text at 508. Thegraphic or text may be user-defined, web-page defined, or defined byuser interface module 114. Two other indicia are oriented subservient to“MSN.com”. These other indicia are web pages that are related to andmore specific than the parent “MSN.com.” Indicia for these web pageshave text, here descriptive titles, which are shown at 510 and 512.Similarly, indicia for other favorite web pages is also presented, here“CNET.com” at 514 and 516, “Geek.com” at 518 and 520, “eBay.com” at 522and 524, “Ofoto.com” at 526 and 528, “Ofoto Family Pics” at 530, and“Ofoto Trip Pics” at 532. A user may select one or more of the indicia,after which network browser 112 loads the associated web page(s) into aweb-page viewing area 534.

History indicia 504 are presented based on their order determined atblock 210. Here user interface module 114 presents indicia for the topseven web pages based on which have been viewed by the user most oftenin the last three weeks. The indicia may comprise text or a graphic oricon (e.g., text 536 and icon 538). Here the indicia are square tilescomprising an icon provided by the particular web page or textualindicia created by user interface module 114.

The user interface module can use metadata associated with the web pageto create indicia. For example, the user interface module can truncatethe URL for the web page and display it. Often a first portion of a URLis not particularly descriptive of the page; truncating it can allow adescriptive indicia without requiring extensive space to present it. Forexample, for a URL of:

HTTP::\\www.msn.com\uq2k3j42\239u8421d\mediaplayer

The user interface module truncates the URL to “mediaplayer.” Thisindicia is shown at 536.

Searching User-Associated Web Pages

Process 600, shown in FIG. 6, describes exemplary methods for searchinguser-associated web pages. This process is illustrated as a series ofblocks representing individual operations or acts performed by elementsof environment 100, such as search module 116 and user interface module114.

Block 602 enables a user to enter a search. Continuing the illustratedembodiment described above, user interface module 114 provides searchentry field 410 as part of navigable window 400 of FIG. 4.

Block 604 receives search characters, such as a word. FIG. 7 sets forththe window 400 of FIG. 4 with a search term “Canon” shown in field 410at 702.

Block 606 searches user-associated web pages based on the searchcharacters. Block 606 can search one type of user-associated web page,such as just history, feeds, or favorites. Block 606 can also searchmultiple or all types, regardless of how the pages are associated with auser. This enables a user with a single search to see web pages having asearch term or character that the user has viewed (either recently orever), marked as a favorite, and marked as associated with a desiredfeed, for example. By default search module 116 searches alluser-associated web pages.

Search module 116 can search with all of the search characters at onceor one-at-a-time as they are entered. Here the search module searchescharacter-by-character with each new character causing another search ofthat character and predecessor characters. So the search module searchesfor user-associated web pages and their indicia or other metadata for a“C”, then for a “Ca”, then for a “Can”, and so forth. This can enable auser to quickly find user-associated web pages by searching in realtime. A user may find the web page he or she is looking for with only“Can”, thereby saving the user time.

Block 606 can search for character matches in a web page itself andmetadata for the web page. Here the search module searches text in theweb page itself and metadata. The metadata can comprise the web pages'titles or URLs, metatag keywords, metatag descriptions, and user-definedkeywords.

Block 608 determines an order or hierarchy for the results, such asthrough a user-driven weighted search. Here search module 116 weighs theresults based at least in part on user-driven factors for the web pages,such as user-defined keywords, user-defined titles, and the like. Thesearch module orders the results of the “Canon” search with a highestweight given for a user-defined keyword match (if the web pages haveuser-defined keywords), followed by descending weighting factors for thetitles and URLs, the full text, and the metatags.

Block 608 can also arrange the results into groups having a similarity.The grouping can be based on those web pages having the same domain nameand/or the same user-associated type (e.g., history, feeds, andfavorites). Here the results of the “Canon” search of the history,feeds, and favorites web pages comprise eleven web pages. The groupsdefined here are those web pages from favorites (two pages), those fromfeeds (two pages), those sharing the “eBay” domain name (three pages),and those sharing the “CNET” domain name (four pages).

Block 610 presents indicia for user-associated web pages responsive tothe search. Block 610 can present the indicia in a flat list or ahierarchy (e.g., a tree). Here the user interface module presentsindicia 704 oriented in a tree by groups 706, 708, 710, and 712 inindicia region 502 shown in FIG. 7. Group 706 is for web pages from theuser's favorites having a group heading of “Favorites” shown at 714,group 708 is for web pages from the user's feeds having a group headingof “Feeds” shown at 716, group 710 is for web pages from eBay™ having agroup heading of “eBay.com” shown at 718, and group 712 is for web pagesfrom CNET™ having a group heading of “CNET.com” shown at 720.

The user interface module can present the indicia in real time, herewith the search module presenting web pages having just a “C”, thenthose having “Ca”, and so forth (these results are not shown—onlyresults of “Canon” are shown).

The indicia may comprise icons or graphics for the web pages (notshown). It may also comprise text resulting from the search. Textresulting from the search can comprise the search characters andsurrounding, previous, or following characters. This provides the userwith a small snap shot of the content of the web page. The indicia inFIG. 7 are all text from the search showing the search characters(“Canon”) and the following text from the web page to the end of thesentence or the text that fits, whichever is less.

Marking and Opening Multiple Web Pages

The tools also enable a user to mark multiple web pages with a singleuser action. A user may mark a group of web pages as favorites or as onefavorite for the entire group. The tools can also open multiple webpages with a single user action.

Process 800, shown in FIG. 8, describes exemplary methods for markingand opening multiple web pages. This process is illustrated as a seriesof blocks representing individual operations or acts performed byelements of environment 100, such as marking/opening module 120.

Block 802 enables selection of one or more indicia of multiple webpages. Block 802 can present indicia for web pages resulting from asearch (either of user-associated web pages or otherwise), selection bya user, a list of user-associated web pages, or otherwise.

Continuing the illustrated embodiment described above, consider againFIG. 7. Here two sets of indicia are shown. One set comprises searchresults of user-associated web pages shown in groups, the indicia shownat 704. The other set comprises history indicia shown at 504. A user mayselect more than one of these indicia, such as by selecting multiplehistory indicia with highlighting. A user may also select a singleindicia for multiple web pages, such as by clicking on a group heading(e.g., 714, 716, 718, or 720).

Block 804 receives a user's selection of multiple web pages. Here a userselects indicia for four web pages with a single user action, that ofclicking on group heading 720 entitled “CNET.com.”

Block 806 opens multiple web pages responsive to a user's selection.Here marking/opening module 120 opens web pages associated with the fourindicia presented as part of group 712. The web pages may be presentedin separate windows or one may be presented and the others readied forpresentation.

FIG. 9 sets forth the interface 402 of FIG. 7 with the opened web pagesmarked with tab indicators 902, 904, 906, and 908. One of the web pages(tabbed 902) is shown, the others may be brought to the foreground byselecting the appropriate tab. The tab may comprise indicia for the webpage, such as an icon, title, truncated URL, or search indicia. The fourCNET web pages are opened, the first in the group (with indicia of“Canon C” short for “Canon Camera Reviews”) is displayed.

Block 808 receives a user's selection to mark multiple web pages. A usermay select one indicia for multiple pages, all web pages currentlyopened, multiple indicia for multiple web pages, and the like. The usermay do so with a single or multiple user actions. In FIG. 9, a user canselect indicia to mark all the search results, those of a particulargroup, or various open web pages. A user can also select to mark allopened web pages. Here assume that a user selects heading 720 to markthe web pages of this group as a single favorite. The window 400 maypresent options enabling a user to open or mark the group, such as toopen all the web pages in a group or save them as one or more favoritesresponsive to hovering over the indicia.

Block 810 marks multiple web pages. Here marking/opening module 120marks all of the web pages under heading 720 as favorites responsive tothe user's single action. The module can mark each web page as aseparate favorite or as a single favorite having multiple web pages.Here the module marks a single favorite having these four web pages.

After marking web pages as a single favorite, a user may select to openall of the web pages in the favorite with a single user action. Thetools may do so following block 802 or otherwise.

CONCLUSION

The above-described tools present indicia for implicitly and explicitlyuser-associated web pages of a network browser application. They canpermit a user to view and interact with different types ofuser-associated web pages in a single graphic interface. This can makeeasier or more intuitive a user's interaction with his or her favorite,feed, and history web pages. Although the tools have been described inlanguage specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, itis to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appendedclaims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actsdescribed. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed asexemplary forms of implementing the claimed system, method, and/orcomputer-readable media.

1. One or more computer-readable media embodying computer-readableinstructions that, when executed, implement a method comprising:receiving a selection to present indicia for implicitly and explicitlyuser-associated web pages of a network browser application; andpresenting the indicia.
 2. The media of claim 1, further comprisingpresenting a single unified access point and wherein the act ofreceiving the selection comprises receiving selection of the singleunified access point with a single user action.
 3. The media of claim 1,wherein the act of presenting the indicia comprises presenting theindicia in a single navigable window.
 4. The media of claim 3, whereinthe single navigable window is docked within a graphic user interface ofthe network browser application.
 5. The media of claim 1, furthercomprising: enabling selection of two or more of the indicia with asingle user action; receiving selection of two or more of the indicia toprovide selected indicia; and opening web pages associated with theselected indicia without further user action.
 6. The media of claim 1,wherein the act of presenting the indicia comprises presenting theindicia arranged in two or more groups, each of the groups having agroup indicia, and further comprising: enabling selection of one of thegroup indicia with a single user action; receiving selection of one ofthe group indicia to provide selected web pages associated with thegroup indicia; and associating the selected web pages with a user. 7.One or more computer-readable media embodying computer-readableinstructions that, when executed, implement a browser applicationconfigured to implement a single graphic user interface presentingindicia of explicitly and implicitly user-associated web pages.
 8. Themedia of claim 7, wherein the single graphic user interface is a singlenavigable window.
 9. The media of claim 8, wherein the indicia of theexplicitly and implicitly user-associated web pages are presented in asingle region of the single navigable window.
 10. The media of claim 8,wherein the indicia of the implicitly user-associated web pages arepresented in a first region of the single navigable window and theindicia of the explicitly user-associated web pages are presented in asecond region of the single navigable window.
 11. The media of claim 7,wherein the single graphic user interface is a floating entity.
 12. Themedia of claim 7, wherein one or more of the indicia of the explicitlyand implicitly user-associated web pages comprise a truncated universalresource locator.
 13. The media of claim 7, wherein the indicia of theexplicitly and implicitly user-associated web pages are presented in asingle hierarchy.
 14. The media of claim 7, wherein the indicia of theimplicitly user-associated web pages are presented in an orderreflecting a number of times that the implicitly user-associated webpages have been viewed by a user within a period of time.
 15. A methodcomprising: receiving textual user input; searching metadata or contentof implicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages of a networkbrowser application for the textual user input to provide foundimplicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages; and presentingindicia for the found implicitly and explicitly user-associated webpages.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the act of presenting isperformed without additional user input.
 17. The method of claim 15,wherein: the act of searching comprises multiple acts of searching, eachact of searching comprising searching for each character and predecessorcharacters of the textual user input as the characters are input; andthe act of presenting is performed responsive to each of the multipleacts of searching.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the act ofsearching comprises searching universal resource locators, metatagkeywords, metatag descriptions, user-defined keywords, and content ofthe user-associated web pages and further comprising ordering the foundimplicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages by weighing in whichand to what quantity the textual user input is found in the universalresource locators, metatag keywords, metatag descriptions, user-definedkeywords, and content of the found implicitly and explicitlyuser-associated web pages to provide ordered search results, and whereinthe act of presenting comprises presenting the indicia for the foundimplicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages according to theordered search results.
 19. The method of claim 15, further comprisingordering the found implicitly and explicitly user-associated web pagesinto groups having the same domain name, and wherein the act ofpresenting comprising presenting the found implicitly and explicitlyuser-associated web pages in the groups.
 20. The method of claim 15,wherein the act of presenting comprises presenting indicia for the foundimplicitly and explicitly user-associated web pages in a single regionof a graphic user interface.